St. Patricks Day!

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 3

Good afternoon!

Today you will... 

- learn more about St Patrick's Day  

- practice reading and listening skills 

What do you already know about St Pat's?

Saint Patrick

Find out why the Irish celebrate this legendary figure. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/0/ww1/

Legend has it that the reason there are no snakes in Ireland, is because St. Patrick drove them all into the sea!

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St. Patrick is the PATRON SAINT (patroonheilige; een soort religieuze mascotte) of Ireland. 

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St. Patrick lived during the 4th and 5th century.

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He was originally from Wales, but was kidnapped by Irish pirates when he was 16. He was brought to Ireland to work as a slave. He escaped back to Britain after six years.

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Ireland has been a Catholic nation ever since. Protestants came much later, when Britain sent Scottish lords to Ireland in an attempt to tame the wild country. 

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To this day, St. Patrick's Day is celebrated worldwide on the 17th of March. 

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He returned to Ireland when he grew up, where he became a bishop and spread the Catholic faith. 

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a line of people (or cars or lorries) that moves along a street to celebrate a special event or holiday

in reality; in fact

rich

to follow something quickly so that it will leave a place

according to what has been said or written by others

related to your ancestors (people in your family who lived many years ago)

a famous building or monument which is easy to recognise

to use a special substance to change the colour of something

    apparently

a parade

actually

to chase something

wealthy

to dye something

a landmark

ancestral

kids.nationalgeographic.com

Why did Patrick go to Ireland?

1. He was taken prisoner
2. He was sent there to work
3. His parents had to go there for work

St. Patrick might be the patron saint of Ireland—but he didn’t always live in Ireland. Patrick was born in Britain in the fourth century and didn’t arrive in Ireland until he was 16 years old, when he was sent to work in the country.

Why does Ireland have no native snakes? Because...

1. of the country's location
2. St Patrick chased them into the sea
3. the snakes come from other countries

Another legend says that Patrick chased all the snakes out of Ireland. The problem? These creatures never actually lived in the country. In fact many animals found throughout Europe and North America don’t live on the island of Ireland—the ocean keeps the critters away.

With what colour did people originally associate St. Patrick?

1. red
2. green
3. blue
4. yellow

The fact that Ireland is an island—as well as green with leafy trees and grassy hills—means that the nation is sometimes called the Emerald Isle. But the color that people originally associated with St. Patrick was blue! (Some ancient Irish flags even sport this color.) 

Green was finally introduced to St Patrick's day when...

1. the shamrock (klaver) became a national symbol
2. the Irish flag was changed
3. leprechauns became part of the celebration

Green was finally introduced to St. Patrick’s Day festivities in the 18th century, when the shamrock (which is, of course, green) became a national symbol. Because of the shamrock’s popularity and Ireland’s landscape, the color stuck to the holiday.

Green is also the color that mythical fairies called leprechauns like to dress in—today, at least. But tales about leprechauns date back to before green was in: The fairies were first described as wearing red.

What do leprechauns do when you don't wear green?

1. they can't see you if you don't wear green
2. they slap you
3. they pinch you

Leprechauns are actually one reason you’re supposed to wear green on St. Patrick’s Day—or risk getting pinched! The tradition is tied to folklore that says wearing green makes you invisible to leprechauns, which like to pinch anyone they can see. Some people also think sporting the color will bring good luck, and others wear it to honor their Irish ancestry. 

What do many Irish-American people eat on St Patrick's day?

1. potatoes and coleslaw
2. corned beef and cabbage
3. chicken and beans

Another tradition includes many Irish-American people in the United States eating corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick's Day. People also gather to watch parades of traditional Irish dancers and musicians as they march through city streets. However you celebrate, here’s hoping it’s a lucky day!

Would you like to celebrate St. Patricks day? Why (not)?